Yvon Sanquer replaces Eric Boyer at the helm of Cofidis

Former Festina, Astana and FDJ-BigMat manager steps in after lack of results in French team

Yvon Sanquer has taken over the helm at Cofidis, the French team has announced. The former manager and directeur sportif of Festina, Astana and FDJ-BigMat has replaced incumbent Eric Boyer, who had been in control at the team since 2005. French sportspaper l’Equipe reported yesterday that the team’s disappointing results in recent years had caused the sacking of Boyer, and the team has officially appointed Sanquer today.

The team’s long-standing sponsor, telephone and internet credit provider Cofidis - which has been in place since 1997 - recently announced that was to extend its deal through 2016. As part of this deal, the company is looking for more of a return on it investment.

“Under this extension, the sponsor Cofidis team has set new goals, including a return to the highest level and the reintegration into the first division (Pro Team),” reads the team’s statement “Ambitious goals that require implementation in soon as possible, a new sports project for the next 4 years. To meet this challenge, Cofidis decided to entrust the management team to Yvon Sanquer.”

Boyer took over the Cofidis team while it was still reeling from the doping scandal that saw a number of riders suspended, including Philippe Gaumont and David Millar. While the team has enjoyed a clean reputation since - aside from Christian Moreni’s isolated testosterone positive that saw the team withdraw from the 2007 Tour de France - but has enjoyed little of the success of its earlier years.

In 2010 it lost its place in the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour, as bigger name, bigger budget names like Team Sky and RadioShack were formed. An application to rejoin the first division last year was unsuccessful, but since announcing its new investment, the sponsor expects to make it this time.

After serving as a director of the French National Cycling League, and as vice-president of the French Cycling Federation (FFC), Sanquer’s experience is similar to that of Boyer. He too took over an embattled team that was recovering from a massive doping scandal as he became general manager of Festina in 1999. At the end of 2009 Sanquer took over as manager of Astana - as Johan Bruyneel left the team with Lance Armstrong and many other riders to form RadioShack - but was deposed within a year as Giuseppe Martinelli took over.

Earlier this year Sanquer worked briefly with FDJ-BigMat, before getting the call from Cofidis.

“The diverse and complementary experience, like his human and managerial qualities, will make Yvon Sanquer an additional asset for the team in the phase of re-finding itself that will begin in 2013,” said the team.